How to Use Association Labels in Hubspot CRM

Hubspot offers powerful association labels that help you describe and organize relationships between CRM records, such as contacts, companies, deals, and custom objects. By configuring labels correctly, you can quickly understand how records relate to each other and use those connections in reports, automation, and views.

This guide explains how to create, manage, and use association labels based strictly on the official documentation, so you can confidently configure them in your account.

What Are Association Labels in Hubspot?

Association labels in Hubspot are customizable tags that describe how two CRM records are related. Instead of seeing a basic connection, you can assign a clear role or relationship type to each association.

Common examples include:

• Primary contact on a deal
• Billing contact for a company
• Partner company on a deal
• Parent company or subsidiary relationship

These labels appear wherever associated records are shown, which makes it easier for teams to understand context at a glance.

Where You Can Use Hubspot Association Labels

You can configure association labels for relationships between standard and custom objects. Depending on your Hubspot subscription, you may see labels available for:

• Contacts ↔ Companies
• Contacts ↔ Deals
• Companies ↔ Deals
• Tickets ↔ Contacts or Companies
• Deals ↔ Custom objects (and other supported object pairs)

Not every object pair supports labels, and availability may vary based on your plan and enabled features.

How to Access Association Labels Settings in Hubspot

To configure labels, you must use the CRM object settings area. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Hubspot account.

2. Click the settings icon in the main navigation.

3. In the left sidebar, go to Objects.

4. Select the specific object, for example Contacts or Companies.

5. In that object’s settings, look for the Associations tab or section.

From this screen you can manage how the chosen object relates to other objects and set up labels for each allowed association type.

Creating New Hubspot Association Labels

You can add new labels to describe relationships that matter to your business. Use clear, consistent naming so users understand each option.

Steps to Create a New Label

1. In the object settings, open the Associations tab.

2. Locate the association type (for example, Contact to Company) where you want labels.

3. Click the option to manage or edit labels for that association.

4. Select Create label or a similar button.

5. Enter a descriptive label name, such as “Billing contact” or “Decision maker”.

6. Save your changes.

Once created, labels become available whenever a user edits associations between the selected object pair.

Managing Existing Hubspot Association Labels

Over time you may need to update label names, remove unused ones, or reorder options to reflect your processes.

Edit Label Names

1. Return to the Associations settings for the object.

2. Find the association type and list of labels.

3. Click the label you want to edit.

4. Change the label name.

5. Save to apply the new wording.

Renaming a label updates its display anywhere that label is used on associated records.

Reorder Labels

To keep the most important options easy to find:

1. Open the labels list for the desired association type.

2. Drag and drop labels into your preferred order, if supported.

3. Save to lock in the new order.

The order affects how labels appear in selection menus when users assign them to records.

Delete Unused Labels

If a label is no longer needed, you can remove it:

1. In the association labels list, locate the label you want to delete.

2. Click the delete or trash icon.

3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Deleting a label may affect any existing associations that used it, so review how it is used before removal.

How to Apply Association Labels on Hubspot Records

After labels are configured, users can apply them directly on CRM records. This helps sales, service, and marketing teams interpret relationships without digging into notes.

Assign Labels from a Record

1. Open a record, such as a contact, company, deal, or ticket.

2. Locate the Associated records section on the right-hand panel.

3. Hover over the relevant associated record entry.

4. Use the menu or edit icon to manage association details.

5. Select the appropriate label from the dropdown list.

6. Save your changes.

Multiple labels can sometimes be applied to a single association, depending on how your account is configured and what the object pair supports.

Use Cases for Hubspot Association Labels

By designing clear labels, you can support a wide range of CRM use cases.

• Sales: Identify decision makers, influencers, and billing owners on complex deals.
• Service: Mark primary requester versus technical contact for tickets.
• Account management: Distinguish parent companies from subsidiaries and local offices.
• Partnerships: Tag partner roles such as reseller, distributor, or strategic partner.

These labels can then be referenced in filters, views, and other CRM tools that rely on association data.

Reporting and Automation with Hubspot Association Labels

Association labels can extend beyond record-level context and support automation and reporting.

• Lists and views: Filter records by specific association labels to focus on particular relationship types.
• Workflows: Trigger actions when a record gains or loses an association labeled with a key role.
• Reports: Analyze performance by association role, such as deals influenced by a certain company type or contact role.

Configuration options vary by subscription, so check your account’s capabilities before designing complex workflows around association labels.

Limitations and Considerations for Hubspot Labels

When planning your label strategy, keep these points in mind:

• Not all object pairs support association labels.
• Some labels may be required or reserved for system use.
• Changing or deleting labels can affect reporting if they are used in filters or workflows.
• Users need proper permissions to manage association settings.

Define a simple naming convention and review labels periodically to keep them clean and useful.

Learn More About Hubspot Association Labels

For full technical details and the latest updates, consult the official knowledge base article: Create and use association labels. It provides the authoritative description of supported objects, steps, and limitations.

If you need strategic help designing a scalable CRM structure, including association label frameworks, you can explore specialist services at Consultevo, which focuses on CRM and marketing operations consulting.

Next Steps for Optimizing Your Hubspot CRM

Start by mapping the key relationships your teams care about, then translate those into a small, clear set of association labels. Configure them in your Hubspot settings, train your users on when to apply each label, and incorporate them into your reports and automation. With a thoughtful setup, association labels will make your CRM data more understandable, actionable, and aligned with your business processes.

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